As you probably already know, electric bikes (also known as e-bikes) are all the rage right now, among adults as well as kids! And for good reason: they are fun, they can help kids keep up with parents, and they can give pre-teens and teens a little more independence.
Of course, safety and legality is always an issue, (I’ll go over that in more depth a little bit later), but if you’re in the market, I’ve put together a list of what I’d consider the best kids electric bikes for each age and use type.
Unfortunately, there are lots of sub-par e-bikes on the market (batteries catching on fire, motors quitting after a few weeks of ownerships, etc). You definitely want to do your research before buying, which is what we’re trying to help you with here.
Reasons To Choose An Electric Bike For Your Child
While there is lots of controversy around electric bikes for kids, I believe there are a few really good reasons to get one.
Mountain Biking
Lets admit it: mountain biking is HARD. Especially if you live in an area with a lot of mountainous terrain.
An e-mountain bike can help your child to go on longer rides with more vertical climbing than they could without one. This may be particularly important for families who like to do big backcountry rides.
Around Town Commuting
We know that one of the best ways we can combat climate change is to drive less. Bicycling is a great way to do your around town commutes without a car.
And for pre-teens and teens, an e-bike can provide them with independence and freedom. My son’s whole world opened up once he got an e-bike for commuting.
He rides to school, his friend’s houses, to meet his friends for movies, you name it. And mom doesn’t have to drive him anywhere which is a score for me!
For younger kids riding with mom and dad, bike commuting can be both slow and exhausting, especially if you live in an area with a lot of hills. For these families, a kid’s e-bike can make a lot of sense to help make the school commute easier.
Another option worth mentioning is that if your child doesn’t need to ride their own bike, you could opt for an electric cargo bike instead. With these bikes, mom or dad can haul the kiddos along.
Transition To Dirt Bikes / Motorcycles
If you are a dirt bike (or motorcycle) family, an electric balance bike or small pedal bike can be a good way to get your child accustomed to a motor before throwing them on a motorcycle.
Reasons NOT To Buy An Electric Bike
- Legality – I’ll talk more about the legality of an electric bike here in a moment, but just know that it may not be legal for your child to ride an electric bike where you live.
- Safety – Higher speeds mean higher consequence crashes.
- Cost – A good quality electric bike costs significantly more than a bike without a motor.
- Exercise – Kids now a days already lack getting enough exercise. If your purpose for getting an electric bike is so your child doesn’t have to work as hard, you may want to reconsider.
- Maintenance – Electric bikes are harder and more expensive to maintain. You also have to remember to charge it between uses and store it out of the wet and the cold.
Legality
Let me start off by saying I am not a lawyer, I am not an expert on this topic, and I can not be held liable for any choice you may make as a result of reading this article.
That said, the legality of kids riding electric bikes is all over the place depending on the country or state you live in. In the United States, minimum age requirements for riding on the road are set by the state. Some states have no minimum age, while others require kids to be 15 or 16 to ride on the road.
Also, make sure you understand the difference between e-bikes with pedals (what we’re listing here), and e-motos which do not have pedals and are NOT street legal. E-motos can be super fun on moto trails and forest service roads (my son has one), but are not appropriate for use on city streets or mountain bike trails.
The balance bikes I’ve listed ARE technically e-motos since they don’t have pedals, but hopefully you’re not letting your kids ride those in traffic anyhow. They’re best suited for dirt racks, grass fields, etc.
For electric mountain bikes WITH pedals, legality for riding on off-road trails is largely regulated by the local authorities in your area. Check before riding on a trail to see if e-bikes are allowed or not.
More Info: Electric Bicycle Laws
Stacyc Balance Bike – Best Kids Electric Balance Bike
Price: $799+ List
The Stacyc balance bike is the most popular e balance bike in the U.S. market, and is often the first step for parents who are eager to get their little one on a dirt bike. It teaches kids to scoot and balance just like a traditional balance bike but also has a throttle.
(If you’re not a moto family, however, we’d recommend sticking with a traditional balance bike)
The Stacyc comes in 12 inch, 16 inch, 18 inch, and 20 inch models to accommodate toddlers as young as 3 as well as older kids. The bike has 30-60 minutes of run time (when using the throttle), and can go up to 9 mph.
The bike weighs 19 pounds which isn’t bad when compared to a dirt bike, but may be too much for more petite kids to handle when not in e-mode.
Sizes: 12″, 16″, 18″, 20″
MacFox E-Bike – Best Moto Style E-Bike For Teens And Pre-Teens
Price: $1,099 to $1,899 (depending on model)
The MacFox is the moto-inspired e-bike that every pre-teen and teen seems to want right now, And after a full year of real-world family testing, we can say it’s one of the better values in this category. Our son has taken his off jumps, over curbs, and down dirt trails, and it’s still going strong.
The MacFox lineup runs from the smaller M16 all the way up to the more powerful X2. The M16 is one of your best options for younger or smaller riders and was purpose-built for kids in the 4’2″–5’0″ range. While it’s smaller, the one thing I don’t like about it are the wheels–the plastic (rather than metal) spokes mean this bike isn’t going to have the same durability as the wheels on the larger MacFox models.
The larger X1S and X2 models are better for bigger pre-teens and teens (and is what our son has).
A few things to know before you buy: the electric system is sensitive to wet weather — we keep ours out of the rain. The components are all off-brand, but the durability has held up better than many cheaper alternatives.
Super73 is another similar and slightly higher-end option, but requires a bigger budget. If you can afford it, take a look at those as well.
Read Our Full Review: MacFox E-Bike Review
Best Kids Electric Mountain Bikes 👇
There are several really excellent options for 24 inch and 26 inch kids mountain bikes. If you are climbing big mountains, one of these bikes will help your kiddo keep up.
Specialized Turbo Levo SL Kids
Price: $2,999
The Specialized Turbo Levo SL Kids is the most popular e-MTB option on this list, and a super impressive bike in general.
It uses the same Specialized SL 1.2 motor and 320Wh battery that powers the adult Levo SL (a bike I’ve ridden and love), and since kids weigh so much less, the range goes way up. That means all-day adventures as a family without running out of juice.
The components are legit too: RockShox Reba 100mm air fork, SRAM NX 11-speed drivetrain, SRAM Level T hydraulic disc brakes, and an 80mm dropper post. At 36.6 pounds, it’s one of the lighter options in this category (but can still be hard for kids to throw around).
The geometry was designed specifically for kids with input from Retül fit data–low standover, slackened head angle, and short chainstays for confidence and maneuverability.
Size: 24″
Availability: North America, Europe
Mondraker F-Play
Price : $3,799
The Mondraker F-Play is a stealthy looking e-bike. The Mahle hub motor and 250wh battery are hidden in the frame.
The bike doesn’t just look sleek; everything else about it is pretty rad too. It has 10mm of travel both front and rear with custom-tuned fork and shock. There are Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, a Shimano Deore drivetrain, and our favorite kids saddle–the SDG Fly JR.
Weight for the 24 inch build is a respectable 36 pounds.
Availability: Europe, N. America, Australia, New Zealand
Size: 24″ and 26″
Commencal Meta HT 24 Power
Price: $3,500
The Commencal Meta HT 24 Power, is the popular Meta HT sized down for kids and with a pedal assist added. Upgraded in 2026, it’s better than ever with a new Bosch drive system and integrated battery.
The rest of bike is built up with top-notch components including a MANITOU Junit 24 120mm fork, Shimano brakes and drivetrain, and Maxxis rubber.
At 36 pounds, the new design come in about 5 pounds lighter than the old bike which is much more capable for young riders.
Size: 24″
Availability: N. America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand
More Reading
- Best Kids Mountain Bikes: 15 Brands that Deliver
- The Ultimate Guide To Kids Bike Sizes (And Bike Size Chart)
- Best Kids Bikes Helmets
About Us
The Rascals are a family of three. Kristen (mom), Blair (dad), and Parker (kiddo). We started Rascal Rides when Parker was born and we didn’t want to give up our passion for biking. As we learned, we shared.
Over the years, we’ve added other families to our team and have tested hundreds of kids bikes, helmets, bike trailers, and more.
Kristen is a licensed USA Cycling coach and NICA coach, and loves to share her passion for biking with other families. Blair is a bike geek, mechanic, and mountain bike junkie. Parker is 13 now and is our resident shredder.
If you see us out on the trail, make sure to say hi!
IG: @rascal_rides
YT: @rascalrides
Hello
Did you know the 26″ E ST 500 from decathlon ?
Would help if there was kids age or height near each bike to help with buying decision